Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin by Johann Walter
I was shocked the other day to realize that, somehow, I have not yet sent out 'Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin' as one of our weekly chorales. We have looked at the same text in Latin, the canticle 'Nunc dimittis', in our motet series. Now, finally, we take up this brilliant transmogrification of St. Simeon's words of thanks and praise.
The chorale was written by Martin Luther, probably in the spring of 1524. It was published later that year in Johann Walter's 'Eyn geystlich Gesangk Büchleyn', as the basis for a four-voice setting, and has been a mainstay of Lutheran music ever since. Luther transformed the four verses of the Latin canticle into a four-verse poem; each verse expands upon its source verse in a wonderful way. If interested, take a look at the attached text-translation sheet, which includes the biblical verses in German; their English translation; the chorale verses in German; and their English translation.
A score and a recording of the Johann Walter arrangement are attached. The melody is in the tenor, and is somewhat ornamented to mesh in with the surrounding four voices. By a few years later, the tune had been standardized as per the attached melody sheet, transcribed from the Babst Hymnal of 1545.
Take a close look at that sheet. Sing the song a few times. It is a remarkable melody, with its quick ascent of an octave, its use of the Dorian sixth, its falling 4th phrase, and its hemiolas. It seems to me to be sui generis among all the chorales we've looked at--a truly original creation, inspired by and tailor-made for its own lyrics
Bach loved this chorale and used it a number of times:
It's the closing chorale of Cantata 83;
It's used in the absolutely fantastic opening movement of Cantata 95 beginning here;
but you must listen to the piece from the top as well;
The altos sing it hauntingly over the bass aria 'Heute, heute wirst du mit mir' in the early Cantata 106;
It's the basis of the brilliant chorale cantata BWV 125, with melodic appearances in the first, third and final movements;
It's harmonized in BWV 382, one of the four-part settings which are probably from lost cantatas;
And, last but not least, it's the theme of the contemplative BWV 616, from the Orgelbüchlein.
Of course this is just scratching the surface! Do a quick search on YouTube and see what you come up with.
I'll leave you with a very different arrangement, by the German jazz trio Continuum. It's from their 'Terra Mofino' recording. (The title is an anagram of 'Reformation'.) I love what they've done with 'Mit Fried und Freud'--somehow it seems to evoke a calm but happy soul trucking off into Eternity.
Happy Listening!
Bob
PS: One more thing: David Stohlmann, our resident Lutheran scholar, occasionally sends me notes about my chorale posts. Here's one about Nikolaus Selnecker, composer of one of our chorales a few weeks ago. Thanks, David!
"Just a little extra info on Nikolaus Selnecker. His biggest claim to fame is that he was one of the leading Lutheran theologians of the second generation after Martin Luther. Along with the so-called "second Martin", Martin Chemnitz, and David Chytraeus the three of them were the authors of the Formula of Concord which settled theological differences that threatened to dissolve the Lutheran movement. This was completed in 1577 and then incorporated with several other important documents into the Book of Concord of 1580, the 50th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession which is considered the birthday document of Lutheranism. The Formula was adopted by hundreds of pastors and theologians as well as numerous city councils, etc and still is a watershed moment in Lutheran History. When I was ordained in 1970 I pledged to teach and preach in accordance with this Book of Concord.
Thus, Nikolaus was a truly important person in Lutheran history."
I was shocked the other day to realize that, somehow, I have not yet sent out 'Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin' as one of our weekly chorales. We have looked at the same text in Latin, the canticle 'Nunc dimittis', in our motet series. Now, finally, we take up this brilliant transmogrification of St. Simeon's words of thanks and praise.
The chorale was written by Martin Luther, probably in the spring of 1524. It was published later that year in Johann Walter's 'Eyn geystlich Gesangk Büchleyn', as the basis for a four-voice setting, and has been a mainstay of Lutheran music ever since. Luther transformed the four verses of the Latin canticle into a four-verse poem; each verse expands upon its source verse in a wonderful way. If interested, take a look at the attached text-translation sheet, which includes the biblical verses in German; their English translation; the chorale verses in German; and their English translation.
A score and a recording of the Johann Walter arrangement are attached. The melody is in the tenor, and is somewhat ornamented to mesh in with the surrounding four voices. By a few years later, the tune had been standardized as per the attached melody sheet, transcribed from the Babst Hymnal of 1545.
Take a close look at that sheet. Sing the song a few times. It is a remarkable melody, with its quick ascent of an octave, its use of the Dorian sixth, its falling 4th phrase, and its hemiolas. It seems to me to be sui generis among all the chorales we've looked at--a truly original creation, inspired by and tailor-made for its own lyrics
Bach loved this chorale and used it a number of times:
It's the closing chorale of Cantata 83;
It's used in the absolutely fantastic opening movement of Cantata 95 beginning here;
but you must listen to the piece from the top as well;
The altos sing it hauntingly over the bass aria 'Heute, heute wirst du mit mir' in the early Cantata 106;
It's the basis of the brilliant chorale cantata BWV 125, with melodic appearances in the first, third and final movements;
It's harmonized in BWV 382, one of the four-part settings which are probably from lost cantatas;
And, last but not least, it's the theme of the contemplative BWV 616, from the Orgelbüchlein.
Of course this is just scratching the surface! Do a quick search on YouTube and see what you come up with.
I'll leave you with a very different arrangement, by the German jazz trio Continuum. It's from their 'Terra Mofino' recording. (The title is an anagram of 'Reformation'.) I love what they've done with 'Mit Fried und Freud'--somehow it seems to evoke a calm but happy soul trucking off into Eternity.
Happy Listening!
Bob
PS: One more thing: David Stohlmann, our resident Lutheran scholar, occasionally sends me notes about my chorale posts. Here's one about Nikolaus Selnecker, composer of one of our chorales a few weeks ago. Thanks, David!
"Just a little extra info on Nikolaus Selnecker. His biggest claim to fame is that he was one of the leading Lutheran theologians of the second generation after Martin Luther. Along with the so-called "second Martin", Martin Chemnitz, and David Chytraeus the three of them were the authors of the Formula of Concord which settled theological differences that threatened to dissolve the Lutheran movement. This was completed in 1577 and then incorporated with several other important documents into the Book of Concord of 1580, the 50th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession which is considered the birthday document of Lutheranism. The Formula was adopted by hundreds of pastors and theologians as well as numerous city councils, etc and still is a watershed moment in Lutheran History. When I was ordained in 1970 I pledged to teach and preach in accordance with this Book of Concord.
Thus, Nikolaus was a truly important person in Lutheran history."